TREKS IN SCI-FI FORUM

Joss Whedon did an interview for the release of Serenity on DVD and he mentioned his work on Wonder Woman.

Empire Online has published a new interview with Joss Whedon in which he gives an update on Wonder Woman:

I am still writing Wonder Woman. It is very awesome but incredibly unfinished, but I should be finishing that in a little while and then I’ll have a better idea of which film is actually going into production. But I can tell you that the film will be about introducing you to Wonder Woman. She'll be wearing the outfit and there will be the bracelets, the golden lasso and Greek gods. She comes from a civilisation where she's rather perfect, so she's the opposite to Buffy in many ways, but she's going through an adolescent rite of passage because she's new to the world.

Looking forward to more Joss.  I really think Inara (Morena Bacharrin - I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong) from Serenity/Firefly would make a great WW.

I'm not old enough to remember the TV show, but a movie might be fun!  I just hope they don't get someone that just looks good in the costume, but can't act.

Rico Wrote 'Looking forward to more Joss.  I really think Inara (Morena Bacharrin - I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong) from Serenity/Firefly would make a great WW."

Funny you should say that because when Joss was at Comic Con later year he mentioned Morena as a possible WW but the crowd wanted Gina Torres (Zoe) as WW and I have also heard they want to get a No-name actress for the role. But if you listen to Joss's commentary on the Serenity DVD he mentions that he cut alot of Inara (Morena) scene but he said he will be making it up to her in another project?? hmmmm makes you wonder..

I think Morena would be awesome as WW. She's beautiful and a great actor. Guess will wait and see.

i never really liked WW. personally i never was too into DC comics in the first place besides the black knight  :vampire

I think Wonder Woman could be great in a big motion picture - if done well of course.

i can definitely see a movie but god forbid a TV series it's not that great of a comic although i do like it when add diversity and create female hero's. i do feel our society has these sexist precedents towards males and females and things like WW try to equalize the board but there will always be sexism in our society whether it's outright or subliminal it's there.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with the Wonder Woman comic not being that great of a comic.  The past couple of years have been really interesting, especially with the events leading up to the Infinite Crisis.  Plus, she has one of the more interesting groups of supporting characters.

i stopped even reading WW after a while ago but everyone is entitled to thier opinion. i agree with u that the support characters rock in that comic.

You know what is funny. The actor for an old WW seriesi s in Sky High, and she says "I'm not Wonder Woman you know" and I thought that was ingenius planning by the movie people.

Wonder Woman Preview - Joss Whedon Talks Script, Humor and Lynda Carter

Fred Topel: Wonder Woman Problem Only Joss Whedon Could Solve:
Joss: “Finding out who she was, and that’s all I’m going to say.”

Fred Topel: Joss Whedon Has Not Already Done Wonder Woman
Joss: “No because usually, people I write are very, very down to earth and she’s the opposite. She’s somebody who is supposed to be Wonder Woman and spend her life being Wonder Woman but then she’s still as vulnerable and as new at it as anybody else, but she’s the opposite of every character I’ve ever written.”

Fred Topel: Wonder Woman Will Still Have Whedonesque Dialogue
Joss: “Absolutely. Wonder Woman’s perspective is very serious. But that’s what’s so funny about her. She doesn’t understand the word. She’s a fish, and this is a phrase that I’ve just come up with, who is outside of the water because she’s so pure and so focused that she comes to a world that is so compromised that she understands nothing about, of course there’s going to be humor. And she’s also an intelligent woman, but she’s not a wisecracker. But at the same time, she’s not going to miss an opportunity.”

Fred Topel: Joss Whedon on Discovering Another New Starlet for Wonder Woman
Joss: “That would be the hope because it would be great to find somebody new. It’s a very tough role and it’s a very specific role, so I can’t think of anybody off hand who’s right for it, so I’d like to meet her.”

Fred Topel: I Suggest Morena Baccarin for Wonder Woman
Joss: “You’re not the first and believe me, there’s a list. But the list is only in my head because ultimately I have to write the character and then I have to figure out who the person is.”

Fred Topel: Joss Whedon on a Lynda Carter Cameo in Wonder Woman
Joss: “If it’s right for the movie. I think Lynda Carter’s great. I mean, I ragged on the show but that’s not her. It’s just a question of I’m not going to do something that isn’t integral to the film. If I found something that was right, absolutely, but not if it takes you out of the narrative.”

As a super Joss fan girl and a young woman who grew up in the 80s and never took off her Wonder Woman underoos....I would like to say I am very excited about this project. Honestly, though Morena is great and beautiful, no doubt, I think that another actress even Gina would be better. Mainly because Wonder Woman is an Amazon. Morena, SMG and several others that have been mentioned are just too little. Of course the first rule of Joss is to expect the unexpected. He might put Alan Tudyk in drag, you know to make it up to him.  :'(

AA

I don't read comics, but I grew up watching Wonder Woman when she was apart of the Super Friends, back in the 80's.  I also watched the super corny live action TV show in the 70's as a small, albeit impressionable child. I used to tie socks to my wrists and pretend they were Wonder Woman's bullet repelling bracelets. 

I agree with with Archangelaâ€"Wonder Woman Rocks.  And I wore the WW Underoos too, although I have to say I prefred Super Girl. Why? Simple,  she had a cape.  I also felt WW's invisible air plane was just, hummmmmm, how should I put this? Dumb?  Even as a kid I knew it defeated the purpose of flying an invisible air plane, if everyone and their dog could see you sitting in an invisible cockpit operating the invisible controls. Why didn't she become invisible when she sat in the plane???? Who knows.  HOPEFULLY that one minor detail will be edited out of the Josh's version of Wonder Woman. ;D

Sad Sad News!!!!!

Joss Whedon Off Wonder Woman!
Source:Joss Whedon February 2, 2007

Joss Whedon has announced on his official Blog that he will no longer be writing and directing the Wonder Woman movie at Warner Bros. Pictures.:

SATIN TIGHTS NO LONGER. Joss will not be fighting for our rights after all.

You (hopefully) heard it here first: I'm no longer slated to make Wonder Woman. What? But how? My chest... so tight! Okay, stay calm and I'll explain as best I can. It's pretty complicated, so bear with me. I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked. Hey, not that complicated.

Let me stress first that everybody at the studio and Silver Pictures were cool and professional. We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that's never gonna work. Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don't think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views.

The worst thing that can happen in this scenario is that the studio just keeps hammering out changes and the writer falls into a horrible limbo of development. These guys had the clarity and grace to skip that part. So I'm a free man.

Well, sorta. There is that "Goners" movie I can finally finish polishing, and plenty of other things in the hopper I've wanted to pursue. I'm as relieved as I am disappointed, and both of those things lead to drink, so that's a plus. Truly, you may be hearing some interesting things brewing in the coming months. But all potential jets therein will be visible.

But most importantly, I never have to answer THAT question again!!!! And you don't have to link to every rumor site! Finally and forever: I never had an actress picked out, or even a consistant front-runner. I didn't have time to waste on casting when I was so busy air-balling on the script. (No! Rim! There was rim!) That's the greatest relief of all. I can do interviews again!

Thanks for your time. You are the people who make the world go 'round. Or, no, science does that.

This announcement comes on the heels of yesterday's news that Warner Bros. has picked up a script from script from newcomers Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland.

I don't want to sound too down on Whedon but I'm not terribly surprised.

Buffy and Angel were huge successes.  While Firefly was very well recieved by it's loyal fanbase, it only lasted a half season and the movie was no where near the blockbuster the fans promised it would be.  Joss does good stuff, but he always does it his way, and his way is not always a good money maker.

I almost wonder if he'd be happier taking a step back and working on films/ TV in a more independent style, aiming for shows on SciFi network or lower circulation movies.  I think with his avante guarde style of "No character is safe" attitude, he's going to find it harder and harder for the big studios to take the big risks that big movie budgets entail.

Mr. O

A Joss Wonder Woman movie would of been awesome.  He knows how to write comic book based characters.  Have to see how all this turns out now.

Im a fan of the old show, love Linda Carter. But honestly, as much as I am a fan of Joss also, I am not all that upset that he is off the project.
I read a couple comments from him about how 'they' were having some difficulty coming up with something for the movie. Not a quote obviously, but what I remember.
I just dont see how it could be hard. There is a wealth of info/history/background to draw(pun intended)from. Its Wonder Woman...come on.
She is a well known hero, that many people probably dont know all that much about. Most will say, "Yes, I know WW"...but they cant name her rogues gallery.
My other concern has been casting. WW is an Amazon Princess. She has also always been potrayed as caucasion, maybe of mediterranean background...or greek maybe. If she is less than 6ft, 6'1 then its a joke. I luv Batman Begins because it seemed Hollywood actually showed some respect to the comic book genre, same with Spider Man and to some extent the XMen.
Whoever is in charge of WW, here is a tip.....go to the comic shop, buy any or all the trades by DC of WW.....do research, cast tall chick, pick baddies, make movie.

I read that Joss admitted that he wanted Cobie Smulders from How I Met Your Mother to play Diana.  That's as good an ideas as any other I'd read online.

Linda Carter will always be Wonder Woman, just like Christopher Reeves will always be Superman... at least in my eyes... but I think Joss would have made it work. Yes he would have put his own spin on it but Joss is a big Geek.. he is one of us and he knows what the fans want. I'm sure I will still see this new Wonder Woman movie (if it's ever made) but I think Joss would have done a great job.

So supposely this person read the script for a possible Wonder Woman Movie...

Let me preface this review by saying that I’m not that big of a Wonder Woman fan. Yeah, I watched the old 70s TV show which starred Linda Carter when I was a kid, but I’ve never once read a single Wonder Woman comic book. I’m just not into female superheroes and while I’m a big supporter of DC COMICS-based movies, I certainly haven’t been leading the parade of advocates for a live-action WONDER WOMAN flick.
Until now.

I was given the script for WONDER WOMAN by a FOBOF (“Friend of Batman On Film“) and was able to read through the thing’s 130 pages rather quickly -- that’s should be indicative of how good I think it is.

WONDER WOMAN was scripted by Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland with story credit going to Matthew Jennison, Brent Strickland and Kevin Shawley. It was written on spec and was quickly snapped up by producer Joel Silver and Warner Bros.-- again, indicative of how good it is.

Oh yeah, that, and the fact that Warner Bros. and Silver parted ways with writer/director Josh Whedon ---- who had been developing WONDER WOMAN for Warners without success -- almost the second they stumbled upon this script. Or so it certainly seems.

Anyway, here’s the slinny: WONDER WOMAN is a period piece set in 1943 at the height of World War II. I love that era of history, so the whole “WWII Flick” thing hooked me from almost the get-go. Remember I said that I’m not too keen on female superhero flicks? Well, WONDER WOMAN certainly is that, but it also has a cool male lead in the form of the classic Wonder Woman character Steve Trevor. Dude’s a man’s man and a spy. And all of us guys think spies are cool, right? Right!

So the bottom line here with this dynamic is that you’ve got your Wonder Woman film, but it is also a World War II/spy action-adventure flick. Plus, Wonder Woman is hot as hell -- what’s NOT to like?!

I’m going to keep this review spoiler free, but I will supply you with the basic plotline, descriptions of the lead characters, and other pertinent bits of info that I think is important for this review.

It’s 1943 and World War II is raging. Steve Trevor (30) is described as being “…tall, handsome son of a senator, but made it on his own.” And as I said previously, he’s a spy and he’s spying on the Nazis. But before we meet Trevor, we get a quick history lesson on the Amazons and how they made their way to Themyscira years ago.

The other main character is of course Princess Diana, AKA Wonder Woman. She’s described as “…barely twenty; she’s beautiful, with long black hair.” And based on the way she’s introduced, she’s one badass Amazon.

So how does she find herself in America as well as getting hooked up with this Trevor? Well, Trevor crash lands a Nazi concept jet in Themyscira that he stole from back in Germany. The Amazons find him and Diana saves his ass. Of course, they end up fleeing the island and head off to the good ‘ol US of A. And I’m sure you can guess in which vehicle they make their leave from Diana’s homeland.

The second act provides us with the set up for the rest of the film. Diana and Steve partner up to defeat the Nazis (who of course are bastards) -- who are up to even more no good in addition to being up to the typical Nazi no good usually depicted in such films. They head to Germany and a good portion of Act 2 is set in Berlin. Also, Diana has her own reason for helping Steve and fleeing to America with him. I won’t spoil it, but it has something to do with the Nazis being up to the extra no good that I previously mentioned.

It is during the second act -- and on page 86 -- we are finally introduced to “Wonder Woman.” Here’s how she’s described: “[Her costume is a] combination of her Amazon battle gear and the American flag, the costume we all know as Wonder Woman but slightly more combat ready. SHE LOOKS HOT!” And I loved the way she was makes her first appearance -- it’s totally NOT cheesy.

The 3rd act consists of a no hold’s barred battle between the good guys (Wonder Woman, Trevor, Amazons) and the bad guys (the Nazis). The battle takes place on Themyscira (seems they have something the Nazis want) which is how and why the Amazons get involved. While the ending is indeed the conclusion of this story, things are clearly set up for a sequel.

Frankly, I am surprised that I liked this script so much as I just wasn’t feeling it for a Wonder Woman flick. I have now done a complete 180 and will be banging the BOF drum in support of this project.

I know that some will have reservations about WONDER WOMAN being a period piece set during WW II. One can assume that the “contemporary take” on the character that was being developed by Mr. Whedon simpy wasn’t working. Even though I’m not a “Wonder Woman fan” per se, the character seems to work better as a live-action film when done in the manner as depicted this script (a WW II era period piece). Hell, even her costume makes sense in respect to the story’s 1943 setting.

To Warner Bros., this is the one to go with, trust me. I was a total skeptic when it came to believing that Wonder Woman could work as a big budget, live-action, superhero film. And as I’ve said, I’ve been converted. Just make sure you pick a director that has the same passion and respect for the character as Christopher Nolan and Bryan Singer have for The Batman and Superman respectively.

So what do you say? Flip that greenlight switch and let’s get this thing on the big screen soon!

Not really thrilled by this at all.  Nothing solid here and most of what is written has been done before.  When Joss left this project my hopes went with him.  I still think it would work better set in the modern era.

Yeah I'm with you Rico.. this sounds like the TV series done for a Movie.. not very happy.. but again this is all hear say at the moment.

Just because Joss couldn't make it work, I'm still open to someone else getting it right.  Joss is incredible, but he just wasn't feeling it for some reason.

I'd prefer a WWII setting to modern-age. 

Plus, she's immortal, they can always jump ahead to modern times.  They could even try that if this one fails, like they're retrying Hulk.